Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

They’re fresh right now, just in time to star at holiday dinners. Here’s why sweet potatoes should be a family favorite even after the feast.

Scroll down for 8 sweet potato recipes.

They’re a superfood.
One medium sweet potato (often called a yam, although they’re not the same thing) is rich in beta-carotene and meets your daily need for vitamin A. It also provides nearly a third of the vitamin C you need each day.

clipart.comOne medium sweet potato provides nearly a third of the vitamin C you need each day.

They’re packed with fiber.
When eaten with the skin on (roasted whole or cut up into oven fries), a sweet potato has as much fiber as half a cup of oatmeal, for about 100 calories, says dietitian Joan Salge Blake, author of Nutrition & You.

They’re versatile.
One of Salge Blake’s favorite dishes is sweet potato soup seasoned with ginger, garlic, and curry or sprinkled with olive oil or rosemary. She also includes sweet potatoes in casseroles, meat stews, and cinnamon-laced quick breads.